AEA Constitution

* The following Constitution do not yet reflect the results of any changes that were proposed and passed at the May 2016 Annual Meeting or the May 2021 Annual Meeting

Constitution of the Attleboro Education Association (1977)
Revised May 1982, May 1985, May 1988, May 1990, May 1995, May 2004, *May 2006

ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the ATTLEBORO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, INC., hereafter referred to as the “Association”.

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
We, the members of the Association in order to fulfill our responsibilities to society and to our profession and to represent the membership and the agency fee payers of the Attleboro Public School system in negotiations with the Attleboro School Committee as provided in chapter 150E of the Acts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as of 1974 do hereby adopt the following

Section 1: General Objectives
A. To maintain and improve the quality of education for all.
B. To uphold high professional standards and to advance the socioeconomic well-being of educators..

Section 2: Specific Objectives
The Board of Directors is authorized and directed to establish specific objectives within the framework of the General Objectives in Section 1, above. These specific objectives shall be reviewed at the request of the President, revised, if necessary, and any changes published.

ARTICLE III – AFFILIATION
The Association shall be affiliated with the Bristol County Educators’ Association (BCEA), the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association (MTA), and the National Education Association (NEA)

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Definitions

A. ACTIVE MEMBERS are those:
– who are engaged in the work of a professional nature in the field of education and included in RECOGNITION, ARTICLE 2, of the AGREEMENT WITH SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF ATTLEBORO AND ATTLEBORO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, September 1, 2002 – August 31, 2005 and as amended by subsequent agreements.

– who, as new applicants for membership after August 31, 1965 hold a baccalaureate degree or higher and a certificate of eligibility to hold same from a proper certifying authority where required, or are qualified and certified as teachers by the Division of Vocational Education in the Massachusetts Department of Education; or
B. Other employees of the School Committee or other governing boards of educational institutions who hold memberships, if such membership is available to them.

Section 2
ACTIVE MEMBERS of the Association shall also be members of the Bristol County Educators Association, the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association and the National Education Association.

Section 3
ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP shall be continuous until the member leaves the district or resigns from the Association thus becoming an Agency Fee Payer or retires.

Section 4 – Associate Members
Associate Members are those other persons interested in the advancement of the cause of education, who are not eligible for Active Membership. Applications for said membership shall be made in writing.

Section 5 – Retired Members
Retired Members are those former Active or Associate Members who upon retirement apply to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Massachusetts Teachers Association for individual membership.

Section 6 – Honorary Membership
Honorary Membership may be conferred by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors or a general meeting of the membership.

Section 7
Adherence to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession shall be a condition of continuing membership.

According to procedures adopted by the membership, the Executive Board may suspend from membership or expel any member who has been found in violation of the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession. Should this occur, the individual will become an Agency Fee member.

Section 8
Only ACTIVE MEMBERS as defined in Sections 1 and 2 of this ARTICLE shall have the privilege of voting and holding Office in the Association.

Section 9
The membership year shall be from July 1 to June 30. A member joining the Association is a continuing member. Membership is continued from year to year until the member leaves, retires, or becomes an agency fee payer. The current membership lists will be updated by December 31 of each year.

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

The Officers of the Association shall be a President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Health Care Analyst and an Assistant Treasurer.

Amended unanimously May 19, 2009: 2nd VP position shall consist of four (4) representatives, to include one member from each level (elementary, middle, and high school) and a coordinator. It will be teh duty of the coordinator to attend, as a voting delegate, the MTA Annual Meeting.

Section 2
The Association will establish a schedule of compensation for the Officers as listed below:

As of May 2015
President $4,621.82/yr
VP (Negotiations) $2,739.28/yr
VP (PR&R High School) $1098.98/yr
VP (PR&R Middle School) $1098.98/yr
VP (PR&R Elementary School) $1098.98/yr
Treasurer $2739.28/yr
Asst. Treasurer $868.95/yr
Secretary $862.73/yr
Health Care Analyst $1143.01/yr
Note: In 04-05 Treasurer and Health Care changed at Annual Meeting; in 06-07 Secretary changed at Annual Meeting.

Amended unanimously May 19, 2009

The stipend for the 2nd VP shall be $3200 beginning in the 2009-2010 school year to be divided evenly among the four people (3 representatives + 1 Coordinator). In the event that only three or fewer positions are filled, the stipend will be evenly disbursed among the remaining people.

These figures will be increased, annually by the same percentage increase as is negotiated for the membership, in the A.E.A. /SCHOOL COMMITTEE Contract.

Section 3
There shall be a Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the “Board”, which shall consist of the Officers, Representative(s), to the Bristol County Educators’ Association, the Faculty Representatives from all schools and the Chairpersons of those Committees listed in ARTICLE II of the BY-LAWS.

Section 4
Faculty Representatives, representative(s) to the Bristol County Educators’ Association and the Committee Chairpersons not previously having a payment stipulated, and who do not receive compensation for other duties, shall receive the amount equal to two and one-half times the local dues, after attending eighty percent (80%) of the called meetings.

ARTICLE VI – ELECTIONS

Section 1
Commencing with the May, 2005 election, the Officers of the Association shall be elected by secret ballot, for a term of two (2) years, or until their successors have been installed. The nomination period for the Officers of the Association shall be for a period of 30 days prior to the posting of the ballot.

Candidates for office shall be nominated by a Nominations Committee, which shall make known the names of the nominees not less than ten (10) school days preceding the Annual Election. Said Election shall be held on the first Tuesday in May, with balloting being conducted in the individual schools. Provisions will be made on the ballot for write in candidates.

Should the regular election result in no elected nominee for the Health Care Analyst office, the Board shall appoint one no later than the second meeting of the fiscal year.

Section 2
Commencing in 2005, the terms of the Officers shall begin on September 1, following their installation at the Annual Meeting.

Section 3
Amended May 19, 2009: The building representative election change was passed unanimously on May 19, 2009.

The Faculty Representatives, hereinafter referred to as the “Representatives”,will be elected in an election held between the third Tuesday in May and the second Tuesday in June, by the faculty of each school in accordance with the following allotment:
1-15 Active Members: One (1) Representative
16-20 Active Members: Two (2) Representatives
31-45 Active Members: Three (3) Representatives
46-60 Active Members: Four (4) Representatives
61-75 Active Members: Five (5) Representatives

Section 4
Voting is open to ACTIVE MEMBERS only, with no member having more than one (1) vote.

Section 5
In the event of a tied election, there will be a runoff election between the two (2) candidates who have the most votes. In the event of a contested election, there will be a runoff election between the two (2) candidates who have the most votes. The Runoff Election will be held at the Annual Meeting.

Section 6
Unless otherwise provided in the Constitution or By-Laws, following the disability, resignation or removal of any Officer or Representative, the Board, by majority vote, shall fill the vacancy.

Section 7
Commencing in 2004, the Delegates to the MTA Annual Meeting and the NEA Annual meeting shall be elected by secret ballot.

Nominations for the Officers of the Association shall be for a period of 30 days prior to the posting of the ballot. Candidates for office shall be nominated by a Nominations Committee, which shall make known the names of the nominees not less than ten (10) school days preceding the Annual Election. Said Election shall be held on the first Tuesday in April, with balloting being conducted in the individual schools. Provisions will be made on the ballot for write in candidates.

Section 8
Composition of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be as follows:
A. The Board of Directors shall appoint the chairperson for a two-year term.
B. The Nominations and Elections Committee will be composed of those appointed by the chairperson of that committee.
C. No member of the Nominations and Election Committee may be a member of the Board or a Candidate in the election.

ARTICLE VII – REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
If any Officer or Representative fails to perform any of the duties devolving upon him/her, he/she shall be notified by the President of his/her negligence. This is to be considered a warning that if the situation does not improve after thirty (30) days, the Board will invoke ARTICLE VI, Section 6, at the next regular meeting of the Board. If the Officer in question is the President then he/she will be notified by a two-thirds vote of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS, QUORUMS, AND PROCEDURES

Section 1
A regular General Meeting of the entire Active Membership will be held annually on the third Tuesday in May, at which time the newly elected Officers will be installed. Fifteen Percent (15%) of the total ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the General Meeting.

Section 2
Sufficient notice, or not less than one (1) week, must be given concerning the agenda of the Regular General Meeting. In case of necessity, the date of the meeting may be changed by majority vote of the Board.

Section 3
Special General Meetings of the Association shall be called by the Secretary, at the request of the President, or upon the petition of ten percent (10%) of the ACTIVE MEMBERS; provided that such call can be made not less than three (3) school days before the date of the requested meeting. Such call, stating the purpose(s) of any such Special General Meeting must be made in writing to the Representative who will then inform the ACTIVE MEMBERS. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a Special General Meeting.

Section 4
A Special General Meeting of the Association shall be called by the Secretary, at the request of the President, for the purpose of acting upon the recommendations of the President and/or the Negotiations Committee in regard to the status of the CONTRACT. Sufficient notice of not less than forty-eight (48) hours must be given prior to the meeting.

Proposals under consideration will be made available to the membership at the time of the call of the meeting. Such meeting shall not be held on property owned by the City of Attleboro. Further, such meeting shall be held at a reasonable hour. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at this Special General Meeting.

Section 5
Regular Meetings of the Board shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month during the school year- except for the month of September when said Board Meeting will be held on the second Tuesday following Labor Day. Should school not be in session on said dates, the Regular Board Meeting shall be held on the subsequent Tuesday. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any Board Meeting.

Section 6
Special Meetings of the Board shall be called by the Secretary, at the request of the President, or upon the request of five (5) members of the Board.

Section 7
The Order of Business for all Regular and Special Meetings shall be determined by the President.

Section 8
ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER, REVISED, when not inconsistent with the BY-LAWS and CONSTITUTION, shall govern the proceedings of the Association.

ARTICLE IX – FINANCE

Section 1
The Association shall be self-supporting and expenses incurred shall be met by the Treasury. Annual dues, the amount of which to be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board, together with revenues obtained from fund-raising activities and other resources, with the exception of the Twenty-Five Week Club funds, shall constitute the sources of the Treasury.

Section 2
All expenses incurred in fund-raising activities must be met with funds received from the same. All funds realized through such activities must be transmitted to the Treasurer within one (1) week after their conclusion, together with a detailed report.

Section 3
The business of the Association shall be governed with a budget, which shall be subject to a majority vote of the Board. The budget shall be submitted by the Treasurer no later than the regular October Meeting of the Board.

Section 4
No obligation shall be incurred in an amount exceeding the funds in the Treasury, and no expenditures shall be made, nor obligation incurred, unless covered by an appropriation approved by the Board. Expenses incurred in the interim between the installation of Officers and the adoption of a new budget will be met by the remaining appropriations of the previous years budget.

Section 5
The accounts of the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer and the Association will be audited in May by the Auditing Committee, prior to the May General Meeting. The Auditing Committee shall have all necessary information to perform their duties no later that May 1.

Section 6
The Association shall pay the annual dues assessed by the State Association.

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

The CONSTITUTION and the BY-LAWS may be amended or revised only at a General Meeting of the ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment(s) or revision(s) shall have been appended to the call for a meeting – notice of which shall have been given no less than one (1) week in advance.

ARTICLE XI – INTERNAL GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

The Board shall consider complaints received in writing concerning actions taken by the Association, from any member of the bargaining unit within thirty (30) days. The decision of the Board will be final.

A quorum is defined only for the purpose of this article to be two-thirds of the Elected Faculty Representatives and Officers of the Association.